Whilst searching the web for a comprehensive resource to help me to decide what monitor to buy, I came across this great thread on the AnandTech Forums:
The thread is segmented into different purposes you may require monitors for. Here is the section related to Design:
o High contrast at medium brightness
o Accurate color/gamma curve
o Good text reproduction
o Wide gamut (92% W-CCFL or >100% LED) preferred for CMYK/print matching
1. 25.5″: NEC MultiSync LCD2690WUXi-BK, 1920×1200 (16:10)
o Panel: soft anti-glare H-IPS w/ A-TW-Pol, 92% NTSC, 16.7M colors
o Inputs: DVI-I, DVI-D (HDCP), VGA
o Scaling: Full, Aspect, 1:1, Custom
o Input Lag: 40.33 ms, avg (In House)
o Ergonomics: Height Adjustment, Swivel, Tilt, Pivot, VESA Mount
2. 30″: NEC MultiSync LCD3090WQXi-BK, 2560×1600 (16:10)
o Panel: hard anti-glare H-IPS, 85% NTSC, 16.7M colors
o Inputs: DVI-D DL (HDCP), DVI-I
o Scaling: Full, Aspect, 1:1, Custom
o Input Lag: 40.5 ms, avg (prad)
o Ergonomics: Height Adjustment, Swivel, Tilt, Pivot, VESA Mount
3. 30″: Dell UltraSharp 3008WFP, 2560×1600 (16:10)
o Panel: hard anti-glare S-IPS, 117% NTSC, 16.7M colors
o Inputs: DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI-D DL (HDCP), VGA, Component, S-Video, Composite, 4-Port USB Hub, 9-in-2 Media Card Reader
o Scaling: Full, Aspect, 1:1
o Input Lag: 33 ms, avg (Estimate) (inferred from prad, BeHardware, and HotHardware’s findings)
o Ergonomics: Height Adjustment, Swivel, Tilt, VESA Mount
4. 30″: Dell UltraSharp 3007WFP-HC, 2560×1600 (16:10)
o Panel: hard anti-glare S-IPS, 92% NTSC, 16.7M colors
o Inputs: DVI-D DL (HDCP), 2-Port USB Hub, 4-in-1 Media Card Reader, CF Slot
o Scaling: None
o Input Lag: 28 ms, avg (Source)
o Ergonomics: Height Adjustment, Swivel, Tilt, VESA Mount
5. 24″: HP LP2475w, 1920×1200 (16:10)
o Panel: soft anti-glare H-IPS, 102% NTSC, 16.7M colors
o Inputs: DisplayPort (HDCP), HDMI, DVI-I, Component, S-Video, Composite, 6-Port USB Hub
o Input Lag: 33 ms, avg (prad)
o Ergonomics: Height Adjustment, Swivel, Tilt, Pivot, VESA Mount
o Scaling: Full, Aspect, 1:1
6. 25.5″: Planar PX2611W, 1920×1200 (16:10)
o Panel: anti-glare H-IPS, 92% NTSC, 16.7M colors
o Inputs: DVI-D (HDCP), VGA, 4-Port USB Hub
o Input Lag: 16 ms, avg (ToastyX)
o Ergonomics: Height Adjustment, Swivel, Tilt, VESA Mount
o Scaling: Full, Aspect, 1:1
7. 25.5″: DoubleSight DS-265W, 1920×1200 (16:10)
o Panel: anti-glare H-IPS, 92% NTSC, 16.7M colors
o Inputs: DVI-D (HDCP), VGA, Component
o Scaling: Full
o Input Lag: 16 ms, avg (Estimate)
o Ergonomics: Height Adjustment, Swivel, Tilt, Pivot, VESA Mount
8. 27″: Dell UltraSharp 2709W, 1920×1200 (16:10)
o Panel: anti-glare S-PVA, 110% NTSC, 16.7M colors
o Inputs: DisplayPort, HDMI, 2 x DVI-D DL (HDCP), VGA, Component, Composite, 4-Port USB Hub, 9-in-2 Media Card Reader
o Scaling: Full, Aspect, 1:1
o Input Lag: 47 ms, avg (prad)
o Ergonomics: Height Adjustment, Swivel, Tilt, VESA Mount
9. 30″: Samsung SyncMaster 305T, 2560×1600 (16:10)
o Panel: hard anti-glare S-PVA, 92% NTSC, 16.7M colors
o Inputs: DVI-D DL, 4-Port USB Hub
o Scaling: [Unknown]
o Input Lag: 29.3 ms, avg (DigitalVersus)
o Ergonomics: Height Adjustment, Swivel, Tilt, VESA Mount
10. 24″: Dell UltraSharp 2408WFP, 1920×1200 (16:10)
o Panel: anti-glare S-PVA, 102% NTSC, 16.7M colors
o Inputs: DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI-D (HDCP), VGA, Component, S-Video, Composite, 4-Port USB Hub, 9-in-2 Media Card Reader
o Scaling: Full, Aspect, 1:1
o Input Lag: 33 ms, avg (gorobei)
o Ergonomics: Height Adjustment, Swivel, Tilt, Pivot, VESA Mount
o High contrast at medium brightness
o Accurate color/gamma curve
o sRGB (72% NTSC) gamut for better screen matching
1. 24.1″: NEC MultiSync LCD2490WUXi-BK, 1920×1200 (16:10)
o Panel: soft anti-glare H-IPS w/ A-TW-Pol, 72% NTSC, 16.7M colors
o Inputs: DVI-I, DVI-D (HDCP), VGA
o Scaling: Full, Aspect, 1:1, Custom
o Input Lag: 33 ms, avg (Estimate)
o Ergonomics: Height Adjustment, Swivel, Tilt, Pivot, VESA Mount
2. 21.3″: NEC MultiSync LCD2190UXi-BK, 1600×1200 (4:3)
o Panel: anti-glare S-IPS, 72% NTSC, 16.7M colors
o Inputs: DVI-D, DVI-I, VGA
o Scaling: Full, Aspect, 1:1, Custom
o Input Lag: 16 ms, avg (Estimate)
o Ergonomics: Height Adjustment, Swivel, Tilt, Pivot, VESA Mount
3. 20.1″: NEC MultiSync LCD2090UXi-BK, 1600×1200 (4:3)
o Panel: anti-glare S-IPS, 72% NTSC, 16.7M colors
o Inputs: DVI-D, DVI-I, VGA
o Scaling: Full, Aspect, 1:1, Custom
o Input Lag: 16 ms, avg (Estimate)
o Ergonomics: Height Adjustment, Swivel, Tilt, Pivot, VESA Mount
4. 21.3″: NEC MultiSync LCD2190UXp-BK, 1600×1200 (4:3)
o Panel: anti-glare S-PVA, 72% NTSC, 16.7M colors
o Inputs: DVI-D, DVI-I, VGA
o Scaling: Full, Aspect, 1:1, Custom
o Input Lag: 16 ms, avg (Estimate)
o Ergonomics: Height Adjustment, Swivel, Tilt, Pivot, VESA Mount
5. 19″: NEC MultiSync LCD1990FXp-BK, 1280×1024 (5:4)
o Panel: anti-glare S-PVA, 72% NTSC, 16.7M colors
o Inputs: DVI-D, VGA
o Scaling: [Unknown]
o Input Lag: 16 ms, avg (Estimate)
o Ergonomics: Height Adjustment, Swivel, Tilt, Pivot, VESA Mount
o Notes: S-PVA panel. Not supported by SpectraView II, and not quite as high caliber as other NEC 90s series monitors, but still a good photo editing candidate. Not the best monitor for fast motion, but perhaps adequate. Info about the similar LCD1990SX is unavailable.
6. 22″: Dell UltraSharp 2209WA, 1680×1050 (16:10)
o Panel: hard anti-glare e-IPS, 72% NTSC, 16.7M colors
o Inputs: DVI-D (HDCP), VGA, 4-Port USB Hub
o Scaling: Full, Aspect
o Input Lag: 20.6 ms, avg (8 – 20.6 – 30)
o Ergonomics: Height Adjustment, Tilt, Swivel, Pivot, VESA Mount
7. 20.1″: HP LP2065, 1600×1200 (4:3)
o Panel: hard anti-glare S-IPS/AMVA, 72% NTSC, 16.7M colors
o Inputs: 2 x DVI-I, 4-Port USB Hub
o Scaling: [Unknown]
o Input Lag: 33 ms, avg (Estimate)
o Ergonomics: Height Adjustment, Swivel, Tilt, Pivot, VESA Mount
o Info: official specs | prad
o Notes: Panel lottery between S-IPS/AMVA panels. Both panels have their good merits. Aggressive anti-glare coating might be annoying to some.
Use these panels for non-critical work only. If you work for a professional design company, use the ones above this line.
8. 24″: BenQ G2400WD, 1920×1200 (16:10)
o Panel: anti-glare TN, 72% NTSC, 16.7M colors
o Inputs: HDMI, DVI-D (HDCP), VGA
o Scaling: Full, Aspect, 1:1
o Input Lag: 1.9 ms, avg (Inferred from G2400W)
o Ergonomics: Tilt, VESA Mount
o Info: official specs | prad
o Notes: Better quality than Samsung 245BW, cheaper. Less scaling lag than 2493HM and better out-of-the-box colors. 1:1 support. You can use the G2400WD as an alternative to other pricey models for photo editing, but it does have problems with viewing angle stability due to the TN panel and you’ll want to be aware of this. Don’t use it for mission-critical work.
Full credit to those over at the AnandTech Forums who created this list.
All content © 2010 by Acuity Designs
[...] searching the web for a comprehensive resource to help you to decide what monitor to buy, acuitydesigns came across to a great thread on the AnandTech [...]
Hi all, I’ve read everything posted here with excitement that disappeared in the moment I realized that there are no Eizo’s on the list… that is quite disturbing for me not only as an owner of one, but as a graphic designer. Why did you expelled all their monitors from your list? Not to mention that there are some monitors here that are not good enough to work on them as a professional…
[Reply]
Maybe because Eizo is the top manufacturer
.-= TheNutz´s last blog ..TweetPsych =-.
[Reply]
Hi there Martin,
I did not compile the list. It is a list compiled by members over on the anandTech forums. It is by no means exhaustative, but its the most comprehensive attempt I came across
[Reply]
Nice list, I’m thinking of getting a Mac Mini, so it’s nice to have a decent list of monitors that I can choose from!!
[Reply]
Ah, great list, because I definitivly need to buy a new monitor and I will choose the NEC MultiSync LCD2490WUXi-BK.
Thanx again for the tip!
.-= Webdesigner´s last blog ..10 Gründe, weshalb WordPress das beste CMS ist. =-.
[Reply]
@admin Yes I understand. This list gives alternatives… Nice idea
[Reply]
I can highly recommend the 24.1″: NEC MultiSync LCD2490WUXi-BK. The soft anti-glare and the high resolution is just wonderful
[Reply]
DaniReply:
What is soft anti-glare and what is the difference between soft anti glare and hard anti glare?
Thanks,
Dan
[Reply]
Great list and interesting to see the issue of monitors that are fit for purpose depending on your design discipline broached.
I was keen to add a cautionary note about the Dell 2408wfp. I recently bought a Rev. A01 for digital media design and was really dissapointed the moment I turned it on. The biggest failure was a green halo around black text on a white background and a pink halo around blue text.
The panel was set up using a Pantone hueyPro and nothing I did with OSD setings would remedy the problem.
This display had received good reviews from the likes of CNET. But I’ve read a lot of user reviews that complain about the same issues that I’ve outlined and many others including unacceptable input lag.
The Rev. A02 supposedly deals with some of these issues, but my impression is that the hardware is not as good as you’d expect at this price point and no amount of firmware updates are going to make this the display as good as it should be.
[Reply]
Hi there Martin,
I did not compile the list. It is a list compiled by members over on the anandTech forums. It is by no means exhaustative, but its the most comprehensive attempt I came across
[Reply]
[...] for you. __________________ [...]
[...] Just for you. __________________ 死神はリンゴしか食べない。 [...]